The embodiments herein relate generally to outdoor wood fences used to enclose areas and/or delineate the boundaries of a tract of property.
Wood fences such as picket fences and shadow box fences are commonly used on residential and commercial premises. In certain configurations, these fences comprise a plurality of posts disposed into the ground, a lower horizontal support plank coupled to adjacent posts and extending above the ground, a plurality of pickets disposed on the lower horizontal support plank, and a pair of horizontal rails disposed on the lower horizontal support plank to support the pickets in an upright position. The top of the pickets are coupled to an upper horizontal support plank, which is coupled to the adjacent posts.
Moisture from rain, snow and dew collect on these wood fences and drip down to the pickets and horizontal rails. Since the pickets and horizontal rails are disposed directly on the horizontal support plank, moisture stagnates in these areas. As a result, moisture remains in contact with the bottom of the pickets and horizontal rails and causes dry rot damage. This negatively affects the structural integrity of the fence and reduces its operational lifetime. In addition, replacement and maintenance costs of the fence greatly increase.
Several rot protecting devices for wood members exist as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,108,992, 8,667,744 and 5,148,644. Each of these devices is coupled to a wood member and designed to protect the member from moisture or contact with another object. However, these devices are limited because they comprise complicated designs with multiple protrusions, slots, and the like. In addition these devices can be difficult to use and they are not aesthetically pleasing.
As such, there is a need in the industry for a spacer apparatus for use with a wood fence that addresses the limitations of the prior art, which helps to permit water to run off the pickets and/or rails to prevent the incidence of dry rot damage to the fence.